Don Don Donki opened its first outlet in Singapore back in 2017, and ever since then, the Japanese retailer has been expanding its market presence in Singapore by opening up more outlets across the island.
Today, many of us head there on a weekly basis just to shop for groceries and other exclusive Japanese lifestyle products. While we’ve been there so many times, we’re sure that there are certain food items that you’ve yet to try, either because you have a specific go-to brand or because you’re not that adventurous to try new food for fear that it wouldn’t be nice.
Fret not because the AVENUE ONE team is here to give you recommendations on food items based on what we personally love and don’t like as much, so read on to find out more!
Recommended Don Don Donki’s food items
1. Baked Sweet Potato
If you’ve been to Don Don Donki, you would know that one of their main specialties is their baked sweet potatoes with an aroma that fills up the entire store. The baked sweet potatoes are often so popular that they get sold out pretty quickly, so you’ve got to be fast if you would like to enjoy this delicacy.
Our team member loves the caramelised sweetness of the potato so much that she often wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to purchase a few whenever she walks past Don Don Donki. She’ll keep them for dinner or even breakfast the next day!
So if you haven’t had the chance to try it out, do be sure to try it the next time you drop by! You can also purchase bags of three uncooked sweet potatoes on Shopee for S$5.90.
2. Tonkatsu
This frozen Tonkatsu got so many thumbs-up from our colleagues that those who have not tried were ready to head to a nearby Don Don Donki and have this for dinner instead. You can choose to deep fry it in a pot of hot oil or air-fry it.
Most of those who tried it said that they preferred deep-frying it as opposed to air-frying it even though air-frying is so much more convenient. Their reason for still going through the hassle of deep-frying was that it was easier to ensure that the Tonkatsu was thoroughly cooked through because you can control and maintain your oil temperature.
The result is a plate of Tonkatsu that is incredibly juicy, tender, and crispy – exactly everything that you would want in Tonkatsu!
Pair this with some rice, some fresh shredded lettuce with Kewpie sauce, and a side of Tonkatsu sauce, and your meal is served.
Purchase this from Don Don Donki or on Shopee for S$10.
3. Ichiran Cup Noodles
Ichiran cup noodles is another product that was highly raved amongst our team. One of our colleagues said that while Ichiran did launch the instant noodles version previously, the cup noodles version is more convenient.
If you’ve been craving Ichiran Ramen, this is quite possibly the next best thing you can purchase for a quick fix without having to travel overseas for it. Plus, the soup base is super delicious, and you won’t go wrong with choosing this as a convenient meal!
You can purchase the cup noodles version at your nearby Don Don Donki outlet or on Shopee for S$12. The instant noodles version is also available at S$29.90 for five servings on Shopee.
4. Ebara e-Basic Ramen Soup
Those who have tried boiling soup with chicken or pork bones would know that the soup needs to be boiled for many hours in order for it to be thick enough, especially if you’re making it for ramen. You might think that such a delicacy wouldn’t have a shortcut, but our colleague found that the Ebara e-Basic Ramen Soup is a great alternative if you’re looking to fix up a quick heartening bowl of ramen.
Simply add this to water according to the ratio given in the instructions on the bottle and you’ll get a delicious soup base. Serve this to your guests and we’ll bet that they wouldn’t even realise that you cooked this in under 20 minutes!
Get this from Don Don Donki or on Shopee for S$7.
5. Ready-to-eat Chawanmushi
If you love Japanese food, chances are, you would probably have also tried chawanmushi, which is essentially steamed eggs with the occasional additional toppings of fishcakes, mushrooms, and chicken meat.
You might think that you’re only able to get this at restaurants or attempt to cook it yourself, but did you know that Don Don Donki actually sells ready-to-eat Chawanmushi?
Our colleague said that this was a great discovery and all you have to do when you get home is to put it into the steamer, and you can eat it instantly.
It’s a very easy process and it’s great for those who crave a decent chawanmushi as a snack or as an add-on to their regular meal, so we would definitely recommend this!
6. Kewpie Garlic Spread
Fans of garlic bread, here’s your chance to get the real deal without having to expend that much effort. We all know that garlic spreads are available in supermarkets, but for some reason, spreading these ourselves at home will never quite taste like what we have outside.
That was until we tried the Kewpie Garlic Spread based on our colleague’s recommendation. And boy was this heavenly.
Unlike other garlic spreads that come in a jar, the Kewpie Garlic Spread comes in a tube, making it easy for you to dispense a good amount onto your bread spreading. You can eat it as is, but if you want to spice up your experience, we would recommend toasting the bread!
There are other flavours available too such as Basil, Butter Sugar, Porcini, and Mentaiko French but we haven’t had the chance to try them out yet, so we can’t say for sure if they’re just as good as the Garlic spread.
You can purchase this at Don Don Donki or on Shopee for S$11.34.
7. Deep-fried oyster
Our colleague isn’t a big fan of oysters, but her family is. As such, she decided to buy this frozen pack of breaded oysters in an attempt to prepare them a meal alongside some tonkatsu. Upon hearing the positive feedback about the deep-fried oysters from her family, she took a bite of it and was pleasantly surprised at how crispy and juicy the deep-fried oyster was!
She only fried it in a small amount of oil, and it came out in a beautiful shade of golden brown; crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Ever since she first bought this, she’s been enjoying oysters just like the rest of her family. If you’re a fan of oysters, you’re definitely going to like this!
You can get this from Don Don Donki or on Shopee for S$26 for 20 pieces.
Don Don Donki’s snacks
8. Yaokin Umaibo Corn Snack
The Yaokin Umaibo Corn Snack is a puffed corn treat that is sold in various flavours such as Cheese, Seaweed, Mentai, Corn Potage, Takoyaki, Salami, and more. This is a hot favourite because so many people from the team actually quoted this as one of the best things they tried!
We liked that it is sweet yet savoury at the same time, and it’s easy to eat because it is individually packaged. It’s very addictive and before we know it, we’ve already gone through the entire bag! This is so well-loved that we even keep a few extra bags in the office so that we can munch on it at any time.
Perhaps we are all just pandering to our inner child when we indulge in this snack!
If you would like to give it a try, you can purchase it at your nearest Don Don Donki store or order it on Shopee for S$13.90 for two packs.
9. Country-Ma’am Chocolate-Covered Cookies
One of our team members originally bought the Country-Ma’am Chocolate-Covered Cookies purely because of the cute packaging. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the biscuit was fully covered with rich chocolate that was soft and did not have an overpowering sweetness, making it easy to eat without having the feeling of it being too much.
You can purchase this from Don Don Donki or purchase it on Shopee for S$8.77.
10. Bourbon Petit Cookies
The Bourbon Petit Cookies are something you should definitely get if you have a sweet tooth. They come in flavours such as Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Filled, France Butter, and Choco Langues De Chat.
They taste delicious and the packaging and the size of the cookies make them very easy to snack on. Plus, since you’re able to fit the entire cookie into your mouth at one time, you won’t have to deal with the mess of any crumbs that fall off from biting cookies in half.
Try them by getting them from Don Don Donki or Shopee for S$1.66 for a packet of cookies.
11. Bourbon Banana Cream Soft Cake
Fans of Tokyo Banana will be delighted to know that there’s actually a similar yet cheaper version sold at Don Don Donki! The Bourbon Banana Cream Soft Cake doesn’t come in Tokyo Banana’s signature banana shape, but the taste is quite similar. These omelette-shaped mini cakes are filled with creamy banana filling and topped with a layer of banana icing, making this the perfect snack for banana-lovers.
Our colleague said that whenever she’s craving Tokyo Bananas, she’ll head to Don Don Donki to pick up a few of the Bourbon Banana Cream Soft Cake so that she can snack on them at home!
Don Don Donki’s desserts
12. Lotte Yukimi Daifuku-Mochi Ice Cream Balls
Ice cream is good as it is, but when you take that and have it enveloped in a chewy mochi skin, you get a delectable dessert that is difficult to resist. The mochi is soft and easy to bite off and the vanilla is very milky, making it suitable for vanilla-lovers and those with a sweet tooth.
Each pack comes with two ice cream balls, and trust us when we say that you’ll be hooked onto these once you try it for the first time!
You can get this from Don Don Donki or on Shopee for S$3.30.
13. Tarami Pure Fruit Jelly
The Pure Fruit Jelly is also another one of our team members’ favourite item. Unlike other jellies that you get from the normal supermarkets, Pure Fruit Jelly offers real fruits in the jelly, so you get to taste the natural sweetness of the fruits instead of the artificial flavourings from the other types of jelly.
Get it from Don Don Donki or purchase one to try for S$3.90 on Lazada.
14. Roll Cake
The Roll Cakes from Don Don Donki got huge thumbs up from our colleagues, and out of the three flavours offered – Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry – everyone unanimously said that Vanilla was their favourite flavour.
The cake is perfectly fluffy and light, and it is creamed with just the right amount of sweetness. This is also popular amongst others, so we reckon that it’s best you grab them as soon as you see them in stores before they get snagged by everyone else!
15. Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cake
When it comes to Japan, we all know that one of the highlights is Hokkaido milk, and what better way to enjoy the goodness of it than in the form of a Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cake?
This Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cake is prepared with layers made from Hokkaido flour, milk, and butter, and the result is a decadent dessert that allows you to end a long, hard weekday night on a sweet note. The cake is sold in twos at Don Don Donki, so you can choose to share both slices with your friends and family, or choose to keep one slice for the next day and enjoy one slice to yourself first.
There are three flavours in total, Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate, but our favourite is the Vanilla one!
Purchase this at Don Don Donki or on Shopee for a box of four slices for S$15.90.
Don Don Donki’s beverages
16. Kirin Afternoon Milk Tea
For beverages, one of our team members highly recommends the Kirin Afternoon Milk Tea. While there are other flavours of the brand she likes, such as Straight Tea and Lemon Tea, her go-to is still the Milk Tea because it is sweeter and milkier than the usual British style tea, yet it is not as thick and heavy as our coffee shop teh bing or bubble milk tea. You can really taste the richness of the tea leaves and the milk, and you’ll instantly feel refreshed. You can even choose to drink it warm if you’d like.
Try it for yourself at Don Don Donki or purchase it from Shopee for S$1.65 a can.
17. Takara Mio Dry Sparkling Sake
When it comes to shopping at a Japanese store like Don Don Donki, you’re definitely going to want to pick up a couple of bottles of sake. And if you’re looking for one to start with, our team member recommends the Takara Mio Dry Sparkling Sake.
Made from rice and rice koji, this tastes just like alcoholic soda with a slight sweet-sour taste – it’s refreshing and easy to drink, and it’s smooth on the throat. It makes for the perfect drink that you would like to have with a casual dinner at home.
Get this at Don Don Donki or purchase it from Shopee for S$27.80.
18. Key Coffee Ice Coffee Drink Pack (Non Sugar)
For all you busy bees who often have to rush out of the house to head to work, our colleague recommends getting a few cartons of the Key Coffee Ice Coffee Drink Pack (Non Sugar). Put it in the fridge and you’ll get to enjoy an ice cold coffee in the morning without having to waste any time preparing it.
If it’s too strong for you, you can also add a little bit of iced water to the coffee pack or add milk and sugar syrup to make your own iced latte. And the best part is that each carton is a litre, which means you get to save a lot on good coffee!
There is also a low sugar version, but our colleague prefers the non-sugar one because it’s much easier to control your sugar intake with it. You can get them at Don Don Donki or on Lazada for S$4.90 each.
Products that are not recommended
19. Bourbon Chocolate Potato Chip Snack
Many people have commented that the sweetness of chocolate surprisingly goes well with the saltiness of potato chips, so our colleague decided to give the Bourbon Chocolate Potato Chip Snack a try when she saw it on sale at Don Don Donki.
However, she found that the chocolate tasted artificial and the taste of it didn’t quite live up to her expectations. The artificial taste spoiled the entire snack for her, so she wouldn’t recommend getting this.
Nevertheless, you can still give it a try if you’d like to by purchasing it from Don Don Donki or on Bokksu and decide for yourself if it’s good!
20. Ito Languly Fragrant Milk Tea Cookie
Our team member was initially intrigued by this because it looked very similar to the popular Shiroi Koibito Hokkaido Japan Chocolate Biscuit Snack. However, she was let down when she took a bite of this. Based on her own opinion, she felt that milk tea should be consumed as it is – as a drink. This snack tasted similar to Pokka Milk Tea, and was unfortunately too fragrant and sweet for her liking.
Perhaps the other flavours, such as Vanilla, would have been much better!
While it is currently sold out on Shopee, you can still check back later to purchase it once it gets restocked.
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